Color matching is typically performed with custom hardware. For example, color matching hardware can include a spectrometer with a calibrated light source (typically contained in a special housing). Mobile cameras and color sensors are generally not capable of accurate color matching due to performance limitations of the devices themselves. In particular, surface characterization is lacking in mobile device implementations. Color can be measured but not shade because there is no way of knowing how much of measured total light reflection is from a gloss surface finish and how far the target is. It is desirable to detect shade, which is dependent on the surface finish and range, to enable similar colors with different shades (e.g., red and pink) to be distinguished from one another.